Best and cheapest health insurance in Iowa
Cheapest health insurance companies in Iowa
Ambetter has the cheapest health insurance in Iowa. Its Silver plans start at $381 per month.
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Affordable health insurance in Iowa
- Ambetter sells the most affordable health insurance in Iowa, but only about 1 in 4 people in the state can get its cheapest plan.
- For over half of Iowa's population, Oscar sells the cheapest health insurance.
Lowest deductibles: UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare's Silver plans have the lowest deductibles, on average, in Iowa.
That means you'll pay a lower amount out-of-pocket for your medical bills before your plan starts to pay.
With a Silver plan in Iowa, you'll pay an average of up to $4,510 each year before your plan's benefits kick in. But with a plan from UnitedHealthcare, you only have to pay up to $3,000 toward your health care before your plan starts to chip in.
Having a lower deductible can be a good idea if you get medical care often or don't have enough savings to pay for a large portion of your medical bills yourself.
Best health insurance companies in Iowa
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield of Iowa is the best insurance company in the state.
Most doctors and hospitals take Wellmark insurance, which makes it easier for you to choose the medical offices you want to get care. Wellmark is part of Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS), which has one of the largest doctor networks in the country.
Overall, Wellmark has excellent customer service. It's the only company in Iowa with an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars from HealthCare.gov, and it gets a perfect 5-star rating for customer experience. And Wellmark has fewer than half the complaints expected for a company its size.
Wellmark BCBS is also the most popular health insurance company in Iowa. More than eight in 10 health insurance plans in the state come from Wellmark.
Best-rated health insurance companies in Iowa
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Wellmark | 4.0 | |
| Ambetter | NA | |
| UnitedHealthcare | NA | |
| Medica | 3.0 | |
| Oscar | 3.0 |
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How much does health insurance cost in Iowa?
The average cost of health insurance in Iowa is $507 per month, but you could pay an average of $93 per month if you get discounts based on your income.
- Your age has a big impact on your premium. The older you are, the more you're likely to pay. That's because as you age, you're more likely to need medical care, which the plan then pays for.
- The plan tier you choose also helps determine how much you'll pay. The higher your plan tier, the more you'll usually pay monthly. Gold plans have the highest rates in Iowa but let you pay the lowest amount when you go to the doctor.
- Gold plans are only slightly more expensive than Silver plans in Iowa. Because of this, it might be worth it to compare Gold plans, even if you don't think you need that much coverage. The slightly higher cost of a Gold plan is likely offset by the plan paying for more of your medical bills.
Get affordable health insurance in Iowa with subsidies
Health insurance in Iowa costs $93 per month if you get discounts based on your income.
Almost 9 in 10 people who get health insurance from HealthCare.gov in Iowa qualify for cheaper monthly rates because of their income.
- What it is: If you have a low income, you may qualify for a discount called a subsidy that lowers your monthly rate.
- How to qualify: You qualify if you make between $15,060 and $60,240 per year as a single person or between $31,200 and $124,800 per year as a family of four.
- How to use: You can use your discount with any health insurance company to get a cheaper Bronze, Silver or Gold plan. Subsidies can't be used on Catastrophic plans. You also can't get subsidies if you can get Medicaid.
- What you'll pay: More than one-third of people in Iowa who get subsidies pay less than $10 per month for a plan. A subsidy calculator can help you estimate your monthly rate.
If you qualify for rate subsidies, you probably also qualify for a discount that makes your medical care cheaper. This is called a cost-sharing reduction, and it's only available for Silver plans.
Cheap Iowa health insurance plans by city
Oscar sells the cheapest health insurance in Des Moines.
The company also offers the cheapest health insurance in many other major cities in Iowa, like Davenport, Ankeny and Waterloo.
In Cedar Rapids and Sioux City, however, Ambetter sells the cheapest Silver plan. Wellmark has the cheapest Silver plans in Iowa City and Ames.
Companies, plans and rates vary by county, so the cheapest Silver plan for you will depend on where you live in Iowa.
Cheapest health insurance by IA county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Adair | Oscar Silver Simple PCP Saver | $466 |
| Adams | Oscar Silver Simple PCP Saver | $466 |
| Allamakee | Wellmark Standard Silver HMO | $501 |
| Appanoose | Oscar Silver Simple PCP Saver | $440 |
| Audubon | Oscar Silver Simple PCP Saver | $466 |
Cheapest Silver plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance by level of coverage
The best health insurance for you depends on your monthly budget and how much medical care you need.
In general, you should try to match a plan's benefits to your health care needs. If you need more complex health care or go to the doctor often, look at Silver and Gold plans. If you are young, healthy and usually don't go to the doctor except for an annual physical, a Bronze plan could be a good option.
Gold plans: Best for complex medical needs
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
Gold plans pay for the highest share of your medical bills, so they can be good if you need expensive treatments or take prescription medications. Gold plans often cost the most each month. But if you need frequent medical care, the high monthly cost is usually offset by how much a Gold plan pays toward your health care bills.
In Iowa, Gold plans aren't much more expensive than Silver plans, and you might even find a Gold plan that costs less than a Silver plan.
Gold plans cost an average of $526 per month in Iowa.
Silver plans: Best for average medical needs
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver plans are a good option for most people because they balance coverage with monthly costs. In Iowa, however, Silver plans are only slightly cheaper than Gold plans on average, and some Silver plans are more expensive than Gold plans.
If you aren't sure how much coverage you need, it makes sense to compare both the Silver and Gold plan options available to you. If you have a low income, you might get a discount on a Silver plan that makes the coverage even better than a Gold plan.
In Iowa, Silver plans cost $507 per month, on average.
Bronze plans: Best for few medical needs
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
If you are young, generally healthy and don't go to the doctor often, a Bronze could be a good way to save money each month. But you should make sure you have savings to pay for high medical costs if you need expensive health care.
Bronze plans are the most popular plan tier in Iowa, although most people should at least consider a Silver plan for better coverage.
Bronze plans cost an average of $378 per month in Iowa.
Catastrophic plans: Best for minimal coverage
Catastrophic plans pay the lowest amount of your medical bills, so you'll pay more yourself. A Catastrophic plan can be a good option if it's all you can afford, but you should be prepared for high bills if something major happens, like an injury or severe illness.
To get a Catastrophic plan, you have to be under 30 or qualify for an exception. You also can't lower your monthly cost with a rate subsidy on Catastrophic plans.
Catastrophic plans cost $272 per month, on average, in Iowa.
Cheap or free health insurance in Iowa if you have a low income
If you can't afford to buy a health insurance plan, you might qualify for Medicaid. And if you can afford health insurance but still struggle to pay your medical bills, a Silver plan could be a good option because it comes with an extra discount.
Medicaid in Iowa
Medicaid is low-cost or free health insurance coverage for low-income adults, children, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities.
If you make less than about $21,000 per year as a single adult, or $44,000 per year as a family of four, you may qualify for Medicaid. Being on Medicaid can drastically reduce or eliminate your health care costs.
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
Silver is the only plan tier that is eligible for a type of discount that lowers what you pay for health care, called a cost-sharing reduction or CSR. These discounts give you lower deductibles, coinsurance and copays.
To qualify, you have to make between $15,060 and $37,650 per year as an individual or between $31,200 and $78,000 per year as a family of four. You may also qualify for a rate subsidy to lower your monthly rate. Even with cost-sharing reductions and rate subsidies, though, you might be able to find a Gold plan that is cheaper and gives you the same or better coverage.
Are health insurance rates going up in IA?
Health insurance in Iowa got cheaper for 2025.
Bronze plans are the most popular plan tier in the state, and they cost $32 less each month for 2025 compared to 2024. This is the second year in a row that rates went down in Iowa.
Tier | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | $279 | $272 | -3% |
| Bronze | $410 | $378 | -8% |
| Silver | $548 | $507 | -8% |
| Gold | $554 | $526 | -5% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
To buy Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans, also called "Obamacare" plans, in Iowa, you'll shop on HealthCare.gov. You can buy a plan between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15 each year, during what's called open enrollment. If you've recently moved, gotten married, had a baby or gone through another life change, you might qualify to get a plan outside of open enrollment.
When you buy a plan on HealthCare.gov, you won't pay more because of any preexisting conditions. Your monthly rate will only be based on six things.
- Your age
- The plan tier you choose
- The insurance company you pick
- Where you live
- How many people are on your plan
- Whether or not you smoke or use tobacco
To choose the right plan tier, think about how much you can afford to spend each month on a premium as well as how much you can afford to spend when you go to the doctor. The lower-tier plans, Catastrophic and Bronze, are cheaper each month, but you have to pay significantly more of your medical costs yourself. The higher-tier plans, Silver and Gold, cost more each month but they cover more of your medical bills so you pay less.
No matter what plan tier you buy — Catastrophic, Bronze, Silver or Gold — you will have coverage for at least 10 common medical situations.
- Doctor visits
- Preventive and wellness care
- Emergency care
- Hospital stays
- Prescription medications
- Lab services
- Pregnancy, maternity and newborn care
- Pediatric care
- Mental health and substance use care
- Rehab services
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Iowa
A family of four can expect to pay $1,622 per month, on average, for a Silver plan in Iowa.
It costs a flat rate of $304 per month to add a young child to a Silver plan. But after age 15, the rate increases every year.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $507 |
| Individual + Child | $811 |
| Couple, age 40 | $1,014 |
| Family of three | $1,318 |
| Family of four | $1,622 |
Averages based on a Silver plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
COBRA insurance in Iowa
In Iowa, COBRA costs $722 per month, on average, for a single person.
For a family, the average monthly rate for COBRA is $2,030. It's almost always cheaper to buy health insurance from HealthCare.gov if you need a plan between jobs. A Silver plan from HealthCare.gov costs $507 per month, on average, for a single person and between $1,318 and $1,925 for a family of three to five.
But COBRA might be a good option if you need specific coverage that your employer plan has that an ACA plan does not.
COBRA lets you keep your health insurance for up to a year and a half after you leave your job. But because you're no longer an employee, your former company won't help pay the cost of your health insurance. You have to pay the full monthly rate yourself, which tends to make COBRA expensive.
Short-term health insurance in Iowa
Short-term health insurance can be a good choice if you need coverage for a small window of time, like between jobs.
Short-term health insurance can only last for three months, initially. You can renew the policy for one month, for a total of four months of coverage.
Pros of short-term health insurance in Iowa
Cons of short-term health insurance in Iowa
Frequently asked questions
How much is health insurance in Iowa per month?
A Silver plan costs an average of $507 per month for a 40-year-old in Iowa. Silver plans are a good option for most people. Gold plans cost $526 per month, on average, and pay for more of your medical bills. Bronze plans cost an average of $378 per month, while Catastrophic plans cost $272 per month, on average. In most cases the cheaper the monthly rate, the more you will have to pay when you get medical care.
What is the best health insurance in Iowa?
Wellmark is the best health insurance company in IA because it has low average rates, high-quality plans and excellent customer satisfaction. You can only get health insurance from three companies on HealthCare.gov in Iowa, though, so it's a good idea to compare all your options.
Does Iowa have the Affordable Care Act?
Yes, if you live in Iowa, you can get Affordable Care Act plans, also called "Obamacare" plans, from HealthCare.gov. From the website, you can input your ZIP code to see the plans available in your area, fill out an application and see if you qualify for monthly rate discounts.
Methodology
Iowa health insurance rate and plan information for 2025 is from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). ValuePenguin determined the average rates by age, plan tier, family size and region by referencing cost data from the public use files (PUFs) on the CMS website. Rates are for Silver plans and a 40-year-old unless another plan tier or age is mentioned. Plans and providers for which county-level data was included in the CMS Crosswalk file were used in our analysis; those excluded from this data set may not appear.
Rates for plans with subsidies are also from CMS. They account for everyone who qualified for advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) on a plan purchased during 2024 open enrollment.
Health insurance company rates are based on a review of rates, coverage, customer satisfaction and unique features.
Other data comes from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and KFF.
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.